Chat systems provide a way for online users to engage in real-time conversations. Typically, these systems provide for real-time group textual messaging, with the conversational groups defined by “chat rooms.” Chat systems are normally implemented in a distributed computing environment.
Chat systems enable real-time communications on various topics by two or more participants of similar or divergent interests or backgrounds. Typically, chat participants review chat room attributes (e.g., title) to identify chat rooms that may have other participants who share their interest and, consequently, will provide interesting conversations.
Chat systems may be part of a larger suite of communication services provided by an online service provider. For example, America Online® (AOL) provides its members with a number of online communication services, such as instant messaging (IM), e-mail, and message boards, some of which have particular and peculiar nuances, requirements, and features distinct from chat systems.